Encouragement vs Praise: What’s the Right Approach to Deal with Kids?

Encouragement vs Praise: What’s the Right Approach to Deal with Kids?

‘Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair.’ _ Yehuda Berg

The upbringing of children plays a crucial role in building their futures, out-spreading its influences on every aspect of their lives. Most parents are aware of the significance of upbringing, and hence invest immense capital, effort, and time to leverage their children with the best possible nurturing. From extra-curricular activities, communication classes, aesthetic classes, mental health therapies to personality development classes, they try to get everything for their kids that can make the life of children productive and fruitful. However, there exist a few of the very simple acts that we use in our daily lives that can impact the development and mindsets of kids significantly.

Well, simple gestures like how you interact to support or teach your kids have the power to drive their minds to an entirely new and different direction. In this article, you will be introduced to a very interesting and thought-provoking fact regarding how to respond to your child when he/she does something rewarding. Demonstrated further are the fine lines between encouragement and praise that will help you deal with the most critical situations with the right approach.

Praise and Encouragement – The Underlying Differences

Praise and encouragement both might carry a highly positive tone, but they impose entirely different effects. As per researches, praise is more focused on what the adults or others contemplate or feel, and often include a certain amount of judgment.  Statements of praises might sound effective; however, kids who are overtly praised tend to perform things to merely satisfy others and not because they want to do the same or are motivated themselves.

On the other hand, if you look at encouragement, as per the given scenario, it can be described as a much more lenient, candid, and influential version of praise. Encouragement is absolutely non-judgmental and is considered as the right approach to prepare your kids for everyday life chores and challenges more sensibly and securely.

What Happens When You Replace Encouragement with Praise

As parents, you definitely desire the best for your child. However, sometimes, it turns challenging for the parents to realize how some of the most simple words and acts can shape the behaviors and attitudes of the little ones that then stay retained forever in their minds.  Significant studies state that how you praise your child has a powerful influence on your child’s development, and this is where words of encouragement score more than those of praise.

Children tend to store the appreciations and positive gestures delivered by adults when they perform something worthwhile and try to mimic the same behavior in future life scenarios expecting the same reactions from adults. In a nutshell, they tend to become overly focused on the results while words of inspiration are much more hearty and honest and help the young minds to learn the art of enjoying what they do rather than setting high expectations of outcomes. The real art of surviving and succeeding lies in cherishing the journey rather than brooding about the destination.

Encouragement can Bestow Kids with Invaluable Qualities

There is no better way of supporting and guiding your children than encouraging them to perform something. Few simple words of inspiration, a pat on the back, and appreciation for their hard-work can do the wonders beyond imagination. Researches state that kids who receive the right guidance from parents and mentors excel in terms of self-esteem, confidence, attitude, and most importantly learn to positively accept failure, which is highly essential a quality to possess in today’s challenging environment.

We, at K.R. Mangalam World School, best preschool in delhi ranked among the top CBSE schools in Delhi, believe that since children spend a substantial percentage of their time at school, it becomes the second significant root for their nurturing after home. At KRMS, we groom the young minds with the right kind of mentoring and guidance that goes beyond the boundaries of basic knowledge impartation. Our highly supportive and dedicated faculty team, advanced and child-friendly teaching pedagogies, a vibrant and warm learning environment is what makes us stand out today. We look forward to enlightening more young minds and bestow them with a better and brighter future.

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